Former Corpus Christi council candidate Eric Tunchez in Nueces County Jail

Corpus Christi District 3 city council candidate Eric Tunchez is seen cutting a going-away cake at City Hall on Oct. 30, 2018.

Contributed/City of Corpus Christi

Former City Council candidate Eric Tunchez is in jail a week after being indicted on allegations related to promoting prostitution.

Tunchez, who lost his bid for Corpus Christi's District 3, was booked into the Nueces County Jail Thursday afternoon. He posted on Facebook around noon that he planned to turn himself in relation to his indictment on aggravated promotion of prostitution.

Tunchez, 30, is facing the third-degree felony charge and has said his indictment last week was part of a conspiracy to keep him from winning in the election.

In Tunchez's post he also thanked supporters who voted for him in the District 3 race. He received 560 votes. He came in second to last in that race. Roland Gaona, who died last month but couldn't be removed from the ballot, received the least amount of votes at 345.

"I want to thank each and every voter that went out and voted for me. With no campaign advisers, with no yard signs, and with no money, we pulled in 560 votes. I am thankful for each and every one of you for stepping up," Tunchez wrote. "I have been indicted on charges stemming from January of 2017, and I now have to turn myself in, but I have to say it was definitely a fun run for City Council District 3."

The race will be decided in a runoff election between Roland Barrera and Eric Cantu on Dec. 18. Tunchez threw his support to Barrera in the runoff.

Tunchez continued that he wants to tell former Councilwoman Lucy Rubio that he was "just playing around," and "she is still my best friend." The comment was a reference to Tunchez's earlier admittance that he sliced off a piece of her going-away cake at City Hall before she or others had a chance to see it.